On the subject of reversing - what is it about Cambridge Services on the A14? I don’t get in there very often, but each time I do (in a rigid) I see numerous artic drivers struggling to reverse into the parking slots. My own reversing (in an artic) is pretty mediocre, so I make a conscious decision to avoid the place whenever I’m out that way. So what’s the issue there? Are the slots too narrow? Or is there simply not enough room to manouvre?
Roymondo:
On the subject of reversing - what is it about Cambridge Services on the A14? I don’t get in there very often, but each time I do (in a rigid) I see numerous artic drivers struggling to reverse into the parking slots. My own reversing (in an artic) is pretty mediocre, so I make a conscious decision to avoid the place whenever I’m out that way. So what’s the issue there? Are the slots too narrow? Or is there simply not enough room to manouvre?
Never did like Cambridge services your right never seemed enough room or maybe just me lol,not much choice about stopping there as I had normally done Cambridge,st Neots and Haverhill and was normally only stop on the way back to the yard.
Nobody is born able to reverse an artic (some may claim otherwise) and no matter how long someone has done it for they will still fudge a reverse on occasion (again some may claim otherwise) but the key is just practice.
Some tips I’ve found helpful are…
Keep mirrors and windows clean.
If in doubt get out and have a look (you can disguise this by cleaning offside mirror)
Plan your approach before you start.
Practice. I still do now. When I got back to yard today there was nobody there. The place was empty. So when parking the trailer I could have slotted into an easy space or blindsided it into a more challenging space. Because I’ve not done a blindside for a bit I chose that just for fun really and to keep my eye in.
Go slow. It’s easier to correct things at a slower speed.
Haha! 40+ years practice and I took two goes at getting the unit lined up with a trailer this week. I blame the early morning half light.
Yes, it gets better. But staying cool and keeping concentration is key.
Pete 
As they all have said it comes in time with practice. You will look back at the same yards and wonder what the problem was
I know it doesn’t apply in all cases but my tip would be try to get in line if you can and then it’s just a straight back almost. This does depend if you can swing around cleanly and get into position
Yard shunting certainly hones the skill. Plymouth Sainsburys is a challenge until you have some more experience, an underground loading area with pillars and managers cars all over the place
In the end don’t forget you have far more skill than the average car driver out there
Hello mate,when I first started driving class 1 over 40 years ago now I was exactly the same as you.What you need to do is do everything nice and slow,try not to think that everyone is watching you,and remember that everyone has an off day no matter how good they think they are.Good luck to you (keep your elbows in).
The thing is often. when I arrived at some firm they would invariably say “reverse in mate”, and you would say " what in there"?,thinking bloody hell that looks tight,everybody else does they would reply.Of course now you think oh well not to be outdone,professional pride I suppose.
sidestrap:
The thing is often. when I arrived at some firm they would invariably say “reverse in mate”, and you would say " what in there"?,thinking bloody hell that looks tight,everybody else does they would reply.Of course now you think oh well not to be outdone,professional pride I suppose.
Too right can’t be the driver who the yardman tells everyone about "reverse in drive not like the bloke last week who wouldn’t " lol 
Some pretty good advice and that’s what I like about this forum as its helped me loads to get confidence and hoping by learning others experiences that I don’t make the same mistakes.
Reversing…what can I say…you love it or hate it. Me being the latter even though I have been driving cars for now 32 years the LGV is another monster with a prayer each time read when switching to the R mode.
So on my Saturday shift with RM I go to Nottingham Mail Centre…Bay 4 out of 8 with NOBODY on any bays. Not going to be proud to admit it but it took me I think 6 shunts to get it lined up.
Go to Crick NDC in the evening and get the corner bay to reverse into (pic attached)… A hire vehicle already on the next bay and being a weekend most tractor units parked up with one on the side with one sticking out. 1 shunt and its in… how did I do that… must be love…
Parking up at night did not even use it in crawl mode and flicked it in one shot…must be wanting to get home.
I believe is I fluke it in each time…however I never get big headed as if not sure get your oversized behind out of your seat and take a look before its too late.
As mentioned it gets better over time and on my first day out solo doing my first corner reverse (did not even have the foggiest and had to get a passing driver to help) it does get better.
Good Luck my friend.
ROG:
Another way to practice is to get hold of a car with a caravan or large box trailerThe principals involved are exactly the same as artic reversing
I second this tip - I’ve got a car transporter (22ft double axle) and principals are the same BUT the artic is much longer and so magnifies movement. A car transporter is great as one can see one’s corrections by looking out the cars’ back window down the transporter length - 2nd step is then using only mirrors as I see it.
I’ve found reversing is easier to think of in terms of where do I need to move the towbar to push (or weave) the trailer backward… and thus how I need to move the steering wheel. Or maybe this helps; to go straight backwards; if more trailer in RIGHT hand mirror than left then a little RIGHT hand down on steering wheel will correct it. (repeat with left mirror… then right again).
What does a car transporter cost to hire for a weekend? £30-40 - money well spent. Practice makes all the difference - any one in Lincs can borrow mine one weekend.
I went to Tesco for a month shunting at Reading. Talk about chucking myself in the deep end!
It’s amazing how fast you learn but the initial concern never really goes away. TBH I think that’s a benefit as it stops you being careless and taking chances
Just take your time and take a shunt if you need to. It doesn’t make you any less of a man (or woman)
The companies you work for really do prefer you to take the lorry back in an oblong state with no extra scratches or dents if you can manage it and that’s a lot easier with time and care
Loads of good advice on here about reversing. but I’ll add my bit.
Get the back of the trailer in the pointing in right direction, far easier to adjust the cab and front of the trailer than the rear.
Try and reverse using small adjustments, seasawing back and forth will just get you in a bigger pickle.
Take your time and don’t be afraid to take a shunt, but make it useful, a lot of new drivers seem pull a couple of feet forward when they shunt and it normally doesn’t achieve anything. So pull forward with a plan to improve your position.
Finally don’t panic, most of us were there once, we all struggled and still do on some days, especially if we’re out of practice and don’t worry about the gobby comments, mostly come from people with no idea or drivers who are so fragile themselves they think taking the ■■■■ out of a new driver makes them a driving god, when they’re just ■■■■■■■■
When I was at Swains (a lifetime ago) I was new to class one Driving. They paired me up with an EE guy (really nice guy, not much English, everything was left) who had this method of reversing full lock to full lock and snaking it in. He tried to teach me his way, but could I hell as like get it. I still don’t use full lock on a reverse to this day, except in rarely exceptional circumstances.